Songbirds, Raptors & Fossils

Main Info

Birding Stephenville and vicinity

For 2021, this tour is a self-drive guided tour (your guide will be in a separate car).

Tour Dates:

2021 tour dates are flexible and can be booked for any date between May 25 and September 20.

2022 scheduled tour dates are listed in the Tour Fact Sheet below, advance booking is required.

On this one-day guided birding tour we’ll take you through friendly communities to a number of sites on the northern shore of beautiful Bay St. George. We’ll visit unique coastlines with cobble beaches and explore the forest in search of boreal bird species and majestic raptors.

Tour Starts / Ends	Stephenville, NL
Departure time	7:00 AM
Return time	5:00 PM
2022 Tour Includes	Pick up and drop off service within Stephenville Transportation during the tour A packed lunch
What you might see on this tour	The beautiful Boreal forest that borders the town of Stephenville supports a number of interesting species like the Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Boreal Chickadee year round. Within the town limits are a number of excellent birding locations, making this friendly community a true hidden gem! Mourning Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, and Wilson’s Warbler are just a few of the songbirds we likely encounter during the breeding season. We are also likely to see Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher which nest in the area. We can listen for the song of the Fox Sparrow, and watch for the Hairy Woodpecker as we walk the path to one of the oldest tree fossil beds in the world! We will peer through a scope at nesting Osprey and watch for Northern Harrier as they glide over the fields. Merlin nest in Town and, if the time of year is right, we may get to see their fledglings. Later in the season, we’ll enjoy good views of hardy shorebirds like the Black-bellied Plover, American Golden Plover, and Semipalmated Plover. It’s also a good time to watch for fall vagrants.

Songbirds, Raptors, & Fossils – Tour Fact Sheet
Seasons Offered	Spring, Summer
Tour Dates	2021 Flexible: Book for any date between May 25 and September 20. 2022 Scheduled Tours: May 27 June 29 August 10 August 17 August 24 September 7 September 14
When to visit	May and June for breeding songbirds. August through September for juvenile songbirds and raptors, migrating shorebirds. September for American Pipits (a local favourite)
Birds we may see	American Black Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Common Merganser, Spruce Grouse, Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-Plover, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Common Loon, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Black-backed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Merlin, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Canada Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit, Pine Grosbeak, Fox Sparrow, Ovenbird, Morning Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, gulls, vireos, swallows, thrushes.
Other possible sightings	Moose, Snowshoe Hare, Red Fox
Bird-viewing habitats	Boreal forest, freshwater marsh, cobble beach, coastal wetlands, alder thickets.
Climate / Weather (average temperatures)	Spring (mid-May to June 20): 15°C (61°F) Summer (June 21 to September 20): 20°C (68°F) Visit our Getting Here page for more information about our climate.
Maximum group size	4 to 8 (plus your guide)
Tour pace & walking	Comfortable pace, easy walking over mostly flat terrain
Ease of birding	Mostly easy, with accessible within-town sites
Rare visitors to the area	Northern Cardinal (2021) Vermillion Flycatcher (2020) Painted Bunting (2019) Ruff (ABA Code 3) (2017)
Photographic opportunities	Excellent for birds and scenery.
Not included 2021	Pick up and drop off service and transportation during the tour. For 2021, this tour is a self-drive guided tour (your guide will be in a separate car). Contact us for assistance.
What to bring	Visit our Getting Here page for more information on what to bring.
Cellular reception	Yes
Additional remarks	Host to the Ernest Harmon Air Force Base from 1941 to 1966, the largest US Air Force Base outside the continental US. Most wartime infrastructure still stands and is at the center of the month long Friendly Invasion annual festival. The Stephenville Theatre Festival is an annual event that runs from June to early October; 2021 was their 43rd summer season. The annual Sweet Grass Festival is a new and exciting event that celebrates local Mi’kmaq culture over a 3-day period which is usually held on the 3rd weekend in August.

Main Info

Full Name

Your Email

Desired Tour Date

Number of Guests

Customer Support